the little yellow dress
by custom-made22
Summary: warning implied child abuse. what happens when a little girl wonders into the care of some ER docs? will she finally be safe form the place that terrifies her? not finished.
1. Chapter 1

'Keep sweet.' Said the man as he pulled her dress back down and did up his zip. The little girl fiddled with the bottom of her dress. She sat there looking down at her scuffed buckled shoes. Her face was covered with damp wet tears. She sat in the darkness for a while until a voice came through.

'Sophie!' it shouted, 'get your but out here!' she jumped up and out the room into the light, running down the corridor and outside. Round the table sat several women drinking and smoking. She stood in the doorway. She was small for her age. Her hair was long, brown and wavy but hadn't been cut in a while and now stuck to her face slightly because of the tears. She had lost a front tooth which you couldn't see as she was not smiling. A woman with bright red lipstick and peroxide perm turned around. It was the woman who was shouting. 'Well?' the little girl continued to look at her as she didn't now what to say, 'well?!' she said angrily

'What?' she said quietly.

'Well come here!' she grabbed Sophie and pulled her towards here at the table. She stumbled slightly. 'You crying?' she was silent.

'No, mam' She grabbed her by the face and pushed her away.

' Now get out of my sight.' He fell down on her bum.

'Yes mam.' She jumped up and ran. She ran through the streets and down the alleyways. She ran until she couldn't anymore. Breathless she walked down the main street. She wasn't sure were she was. She was hungry so hungry that it hurt. She plunged into her pocket she only had a dime. She looked and saw a small grocery store. She walked in there were quite a few people in there. She walked around the shop to find something to eat.

Abby saw the little girl walk in. she was a pretty little girl wearing a yellow dress and looking a little grubby. She looked at the little girl as she walked round the shop. She nudged Luka paying for his coffee. She nodded towards the little girl. They continued to look at her.

There was nothing that cheap. She looked at how much she had. She picked up a chocolate bar. Walking to the counter she placed the chocolate bar up on the table. The tall man looked down at her.

'1 dollar.' He said. She reached up and gave him the dime. ' This isn't enough kid.' She looked at him and said nothing. 'You either give me the money or you don't get it.' Abby stepped in.

'Here,' she gave the man a dollar. She gave the little girl the chocolate bar.

'Thank you ma'am.' She said quietly taking the candy gently. She bent down to her.

'My name's Abby. What's yours?'

'Sophie.'

'That's a nice name. Where's you're mummy?' Sophie shrugged her shoulders. 'Your daddy?' again she shrugged her shoulders looking at the lady. 'O.k.,' Abby thought, 'we'll take you to the hospital where I work and they can come pick you up there. See there's the hospital.' She said pointing to it out the door. 'O.k.?' Sophie nodded. Abby took her hand and walked over to Luka.


	2. Chapter 2

Abby took the little girls small hand in hers and led her out the shop. Luka walked by Lexi.

'I don't think we can just take her.' He said. Abby frowned

'What do you think we should do Luka? Leave her in the shop all alone to let some pervert take her? I'm sure they'll come by the hospital if they've lost her.' She continued to walk towards the hospital Sophie just following her calmly. The doors parted and opened into a busy ER waiting room. Sophie had never seen a place like this; everyone seemed to be coughing or crying. She stared around the room wide eyed. She held tighter on the Abby's hand. Abby looked down as Sophie jumped away form an old homeless man coughing in her direction. Sophie grabbed Abby's trouser leg. They continued to walk through into the main ER as Abby brought Sophie in front of her. Pratt looked up and saw Luka and Abby walk in with a small child.

'And whose this?' he asked crouching down in front of Sophie. He smiled and she did slightly but didn't say anything.

'Sophie.' Abby said. Pratt grinned.

'Sophie, that's a pretty name.' he stood up straight. 'So,' he directed to the others, 'why have we got Sophie?'

'We found her in the jumbo mart. Alone. We think she might of wondered off form her parents.' said Luka. 'If anyone comes to find her then they will find her' Pratt nodded

'Yeah, I tell you if anyone comes looking. Oh and maybe we should think about phoning the cops' Abby took Sophie's hand once again an led her behind the nurses bay. Abby sat her up on a chair. She noticed a gaze on her knees that bled slightly.

'Oh,' said Abby, 'how did you do that Sophie?' Sophie looked at her.

'I…i...' she stuttered, 'i.i. Fe…i…fe-fell.' She managed to get out. Abby smiled.

'I'll get you a band-aid.' Abby walked to a store station. Something wasn't right about Sophie. Just being left like that, she was in a bad state, dusty clothes and a dirty face and then a stutter. Abby shook her head she was judging too fast. Her parents where probably looking for her now and she just got dirty on her way through the city, and as for the stutter-lots of small kids have stutters. She walked back to Sophie she bent down in front of her and put the band aid on, 'there, pretty pink colour' Sophie smiled a toothless grin.

'Th… thank you' she said. Abby looked at her.

'No problem.' She grinned. ' I just got to make a phone call o.k?' she nodded. 'Why don't you-' she lent over to the printer grabbing some paper and taking a pen out her pocket, 'draw a picture.' She took the pen and started to draw. Abby turned to the phone. Picking it up she call the local police station. She tapped her fingers on the counter impatiently.

Hello Chicago police service how can I help you?

'Oh, hi yeah, this is Dr Lockheart form Chicago county general. We have a little girl here you we think has wondered off form her parents.'

O.k., I'll put you through to head of missing persons. Please hold

'Sure.' Luka walked up to her.

'How's it going?' he asked

'Oh fine. Just phoning the cops' he nodded.

'I'll see you later.' She nodded

'O.k.- oh hi, my name is Dr Lockheart.'

Abby put down the phone rubbing her forehead. She was tiered. She had already worked 8 hours on her shift and not even half way through it. She turned to Sophie who was drawing intently. Suddenly Abby's beeper went off. Sophie looked up at Abby. Abby took a look at the pager. Important lab results. She looked around. 'Hey, Sam.' She turned, 'could you keep an eye on her?'

'Sure.' Sam smiled as she walked over.

'I'll be back as soon as.' Abby got up and left.

'Hey cutie what's your name?' Sophie smiled.

Abby walked down the corridor. She had to give some news to a patient that he had to have a heart operation. She hated giving this kind of news she just wished she could solve whatever the problem it was and that it would be done. But no, she had to do referrals and give bad news. She stepped in the room her heart in her mouth like it always was when she had to do something like this.

'Mr parker. I have some bad news.'

Abby left the room not feeling very great at all and all she felt was that she needed a coffee. A strong one. She scratched her hair. Two hours since she had seen Sophie and she still sat there licking a lollypop.

'No one come yet Sam?' she shook her head. 'Better get her some food then.' She took her by the hand. 'Hey, Sophie, you want to get some food?' she nodded.

'Yes p-lease.' She jumped off the chair and they began to walk in the direction of the lounge.

'hey Abby.' She turned around. 'Sophie's got some blood on her dress.'


End file.
